As a VFL footballer, he was sometimes known as "J. A. Shelton", with the "A" most likely a reference to Avenel, in order to distinguish him from the other "Jack Shelton", one John Frederick "Jack" Shelton, a prolific goalkicker, who had been recruited from Koo Wee Rup in 1926.
Family
The son of Richard John and Jane Elizabeth Shelton, he was born at Avenel, Victoria on 24 January 1905. As a young lad of 7, Jack's father had been saved from drowning in swollen Hughes Creek, Avanel by a young Ned Kelly, aged 10. Jack married Winifred "Freda" Emma Planck Gadd on 26 March 1932. The cousin of Melbourne footballer Bill Shelton, he was the father of John Shelton, and Hawthorn's Bill Shelton, and the uncle of Essendon's Ian "Bluey" Shelton.
Although he began as a forward and rover, throughout his later senior football career he played as an either a backman or in the ruck. He was a tough player who played hard and fair.
St Kilda
He received his clearance to play for St Kilda on 28 April 1926. He played eleven senior games for St Kilda in his first season, playing his first game, on the half-forward flank, against Hawthorn at the Junction Oval on 5 June 1926. He returned to Avenel for the 1927 season; and, rejoined play with St Kilda in mid-1928, resuming his senior career in the eighth round match against Essendon, in the first ruck, at Windy Hill, on 4 June 1928. Shelton played very well in his first game back in the VFL, and St Kilda won by 9 points. He played eleven senior matches for St Kilda in 1928 and six in 1929, with his last match against Richmond, at the Punt Road Oval on 13 July 1929.
South Melbourne
He received his clearance to play for South Melbourne on 11 June 1930. He played his first match for South Melbourne, as a back-pocket ruckman, against Hawthorn on 14 June 1930. South Melbourne thrashed Hawthorn 17.11 to 9.10, in its first win for the 1930 season. He played the next two matches, and the last four matches of the season, retiring after playing against North Melbourne at the Lake Oval on 13 September 1930. He was one of the best players in a team that soundly beat North Melbourne 15.19 to 4.14, having kicked 9.6 to 1.1 in the last quarter.
Avenel
He received his clearance to play for Avenel on 3 June 1931. In 1934, in a match against Nagambie, he broke a collarbone. At the time of his enlistment in the second AIF, in mid-1940, he was still playing football for Avenel, and was the captain of the Avenel team.
Soldier
Both his eldest brother, Private Richard John Shelton, and his second oldest brother, Sergeant Leslie Norman Shelton, had served in the First AIF. On 23 July 1940, Jack left his farm, "Mittagong", at Avenel and enlisted in the second AIF aged 35. After training at Wangaratta, he was promoted to Lieutenant, joined the 2/24th Battalion, and was sent to the Middle East, and then Northern Africa, with the 9th Division. He was killed in action, at Tobruk, on 1 May 1941.
Remembered
His name appears on the Roll of Honour at the Australian War memorial. He has no known grave, and is commemorated at the Alamein Memorial, in Egypt.
